P-EBT benefits of over $6Mil to be issued next week Wednesday

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — ASG has confirmed it will issue $6.4 million in Summer Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer P-EBT) starting January 18, 2023.

Gov. Lemanu P. S Mauga announced on Monday that the Department of Human and Social Services (DHSS) will start issuing Summer P-EBT to approximately 14,000 public and private school children.

“This is the second year that American Samoa is participating in the Summer P-EBT which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

“Although FNS approved American Samoa’s 2022 Summer P-EBT State Plan on September 26, 2022, for all school children who were eligible for school meals during School Year 2021-2022 that ended on June 10, 2022, funding to implement the Summer P-EBT was not available to us until December 1, 2022.

“Moreover, the shipment of special coupon paper to print Summer P-EBT benefits arrived by air freight on Saturday, December 24, 2022, and was delivered to the American Samoa Nutrition Assistance Program (ASNAP) office on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, after it was cleared by the Customs Office and released by the Office of Procurement.”

In making the announcement, Governor Lemanu said this critically needed temporary food assistance program to keep our children nourished and healthy arrives at a time when families need extra support in purchasing food due to the current high inflation rate, the rising cost of living, and significant increases in food costs.

“I extend my sincerest gratitude and appreciation to USDA’s FNS Administrator, Cindy Long, for approving our second round of Summer P-EBT to ensure that our families can continue to put food on their tables and have access to nutritious food.”

The ASNAP is currently conducting mass issuance of ASNAP benefits or food stamps for January 2023 for their recipients who are low-income elderly, blind, and with disabilities.

Once mass issuance ends on Tuesday, Jan.17, 2023, the ASNAP will start issuing Summer P-EBT benefits in alphabetical order starting on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023.

“With this second round of Summer P-EBT benefits, DHSS will issue a one-time benefit amount of $455 per eligible child.

“This covers the standard 55 days of summer at $8.28 per day.” The ASNAP will get the word out.

“Families with school children who received their Regular School Year P-EBT benefits that DHSS distributed between Aug. 15, 2022, and Dec. 30, 2022, will automatically qualify for the additional $455 per child under the Summer P-EBT.

“They do not need to reapply but are required to show their P-EBT ID cards to claim benefits from the ASNAP office.”

Director Muavaefaatasi John Suisala told Samoa News that in 2022 the DHSS infused into the local economy approximately $30 million in monthly client benefit/ payments, which stimulated economic growth and generated additional monies in economic activities.

“This does not include administrative and operational costs for all DHSS programs and services.

“ASNAP Division – Issued a total of $17,916,942 in food stamp benefits; ASNAP Benefits - Issued $8,869935 in ASNAP benefits for a monthly average of 4,356 recipients; ASNAP Incentive to Stimulate Local Food Production - 20% of benefits are in “local” food coupons only for the purchase of locally fished, grown, and produced food items.

“This helps our local farmers, fishermen, bakeries and other food producers. It also incentivizes new local food production.

“The remaining 80% of ASNAP benefits are in “regular” food coupons for the purchase of imported and local food items.

“P-EBT Benefits for School Closure during School Year 2021-2022 — Issued $7,393,922 in P-EBT benefits to 12,894 children from 5,914 households.

“Enhanced nutrition assistance for ASNAP recipients: Issued $1,653,085 in for a monthly average of 4,219 recipients.”

According to the Director, the P-EBT Benefits for the Summer of 2022 were delayed in the award of administrative costs to pay for program implementation for the Summer P-EBT Program coupled with the delay in the supply of special coupon paper due to the global shortage of raw materials.

He said ASWIC Division – DHSS redeemed a total of $3,706,901 in WIC benefits.

“An average of 3,798 recipients (or 676 women, 611 infants, and 2,510 children) participated in the ASWIC each month from January 2022 to December 2022.

“Unfortunately, an average of 47.66% of monthly WIC benefits were expunged as they were not redeemed by WIC clients.”

For the Child Care Division – DHSS issued a total of $$7,584,908 in benefit/ subsidy payments through the American Samoa Child Care Program.

“Payments to Child Care Centers — $6,624,405; Family Child Care Providers -$260,336; in-Home Child Care Providers -$587,500; and, Teacher Stipend Payments -$112,667.”

Regarding the children and Family Services Division – DHSS paid $593,202 by the end of the year in pandemic emergency cash assistance, rental assistance, and foster care subsidies.

“AS-Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund – Issued $484,200 in one-time payments of $200 per child for 961 extremely low-income households with 2,421 children.

“Rental Assistance Payments – Issued $109,002 to 29 households with 117 family members”since DHSS was unable to issue Summer P-EBT in 2022, Muavaefaatasi said.